~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey Moony! Look at what I found!" Sirius said as he brought a large box into the living room of Grimwauld Place.
"Sirius, what is that?" Remus asked as Sirius came closer to him.
"This, my friend, is what is going to get us through this boring rainy day. We are going to go through this box and read every scrap of paper that is in here."
"Sirius, where did you get that?" Remus asked looking at the box with a wondering eye.
"Well, you know that I get bored easily, so I dug this up. Most of these papers came from a box that I got from James and Lily's house. They are most-likely love letters. I will have fun with this!"
"What are the other some papers?"
"That, my friend, is what we are going to find out," Sirius said with a twinkle in his eyes. Remus rolled his eyes and opened the box. Today was not going to be boring.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Sirius pulled a worn letter out of the box. He stared at the creases on it a moment before unfolding it. As he started to read, he started to laugh. Remus put down the picture he was holding and took the letter:
James Arrogant Potter,
If you do not leave me alone, I will feel it my duty to hex you into oblivion. I really do not care how attractive you think I am, or how attractive you think you are. I will hex you, and you know it. Don't EVER speak to me again,
Evans
Remus smiled at the letter in his hand.
"Can you believe that they ever got together?" Sirius asked with surprise in his voice.
"I always knew they would get together. As much as Lily said she hated him, She didn't; at least not as much as she said she did. I could tell in the way she would talk about him in prefect duty. She had always loved him, Sirius. Even you could see that.
Sirius motioned to the picture Remus had put down. "What you looking at?"
Remus picked it up, looked at it again, and handed it over to Sirius. He saw Sirius's face fall as he saw the picture. It was obviously old, at least twenty-five years, and in the picture, it captured the hearts of two young boys.
One of the boy's hair was shoulder length, falling into black curls. The younger boy was just as handsome in his own way. The two boys were hugging, and anyone could see the love and playfulness in their gray eyes as they smiled up at whomever was taking the picture.
Sirius placed the picture with the letter from Lily and moved back to the box. He was too strong to cry, and he wasn't going to cry over a brother that had left him. He reached his hand in and pulled out a package of letters. The one on top was the most used. It had writing all over it, and it had been worn from years of travel around to the Marauder's houses. he picked it up and started to read.
Fellow marauders:
this is the very first entry on this new piece of parchment that i have gotten, mum says it is for school purposes, but you know how i am, i feel like making letters between school friends is school related, right?
On this magnificent piece of parchment, we are to release any stress from this summer that we are forced to spend alone. I would like to start by saying that i love lily Evans. i know that it may never work between us, but i can hope, right?
Anyway, feel free to write anything, then send it to the next marauder. i will be sending it to Padfoot next, and he can choose who to send it to after that. if it goes to him and no one ever gets it after that, we will assume that his mum ate it. have fun guys!
Prongs
Thank you Prongs. I have managed to keep this from my mother's fangs, but no promises against next time.
I feel since I am the second one to get this parchment, that I must tell you, Prongs, you have no chance with Evans. The flower hates you. Let it die. She will never go for you. Hate to break your heart.
I want to write that I absolutely HATE being alone with my family, and I hate the fact that I can not leave. Someone come help me!
Padfoot
Well Padfoot, I know that you say you hate your family, but I am sure it is not all that bad. Prongs, I am sorry, but the chances of you and Lily are about as good as mine with a woman who happens to be several years younger and more energetic than I will ever be, not to mention the fact that I am a werewolf. I am truly sorry about your fate, because Lily will most-likely be the death of you if you keep this up.
I will be busy, or shall I say preoccupied, for the next few weeks, so sorry to Wormtail if this comes back to me in that time. It may take some time to get it back to you.
Moony
Guys! It is so great to hear from you! I know that I am the last one to get this, but I just wanted to say that I would come rescue you, Padfoot!
Prongs, this is a really great idea! This parchment will be more than just a normal letter! We could sent it to everybody and have more than just one conversation!
This is short, but I can't wait to go back to school!
Wormtail
Well, i am now dying of laughter. NOT. Moony, your faith in me is not all that comforting. Who says that lily will never fall for a gorgeous seeker like me? It could happen. Will happen. Evans will be mine!
Padfoot: you know the offer for you to come live with us still stands if you hate it so much.
moony: Are you sure you don't want us to be there? we could all come and spend the moon with you, or maybe just me? Are you sure you want to go through this alone when we are here?
Wormtail: I am sure that Padfoot is very grateful for your eagerness to rescue him.
Guys keep up the great work. this is really funny.
prongs
COME SAVE ME! Anyone have a flying car to come rescue me from this prison that holds me so eagerly?
Padfoot
P.S. I am working on poetry to get Cynthia Tanner to go out with me. Moony don't laugh, or preach. I don't want to hear any of it.
Prongs: I am sure that since I have made it through so many transformations, I can live through it again, but thanks for the concern.
Padfoot: I can not help laughing, but I will promise not to preach to you through this parchment. That is what Howlers are for. Beware when we go back to school.
Wromtail: Sorry about the short note, I just wanted to get it to you before the transformation.
Moony
I know that I am the last one to get this, but Prongs, you have no chance with Lily. She really is out of your league. I know this letter is also short, but guys, I can not wait to go back to school. I was thinking of trying out for the Quidditch team next year! Prongs, do you think you could get me in? Thanks!
Wormtail
The letters went like this for quite some time. Every time a page would be filled, it would be turned over and written on. After that, more parchment was added to the pile. All of the letters were always sent together Sirius remembered. Not even the first entries were left out. By the end of that summer, they had used almost thirty-five feet of parchment and a lot more ink.
Sirius smiled as he looked back on that summer. It was so much more fun to talk to all of the guys, but that was the only summer they had done that. Sirius had left to go live with James and they spent most of the other two summers at each other's houses. Sirius almost wished that it could be that way again, until he remembered that it was Wormtail, the one no one suspected, that killed James and Lily. It was all his fault that they were dead, and someday, he was going to get revenge.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Remus took a deep breath after seeing the parchment of letters and dug into the box again. If the entire box was like this, he was going to have a long day. Remus wasn't sure that he could handle a day full of regret for what happened close to sixteen years ago.
Remus found a letter that was laced with some sort of potion that had worn off in the years of life in this box. It was tied with a long red ribbon and he was curious now what the letter contained. He opened it cautiously and started to laugh as he read the first few lines...
My Dearest Cynthia,
I know that we have only known each other for a short while, but I must feel like there is a connection between us that is unnatural in the wizarding world...
Remus snickered. Sirius always tried to butter up the girls he liked so they would date him longer, therefore, giving him the chance to break up with them, not the other way around.
Sirius found what Remus was reading and snatched it away.
"No need to read that, Moony," Sirius said slightly rogue in the cheeks.
"Wouldn't want to, Padfoot," Remus said, smiling slightly as he thought about their Hogwarts days. Remus and Sirius arguing about something, James trying to impress Lily, and Peter trying to impress anyone. Those had been the days.
He glanced over at Sirius who apparently had continued reading the letter, and had turned even more red in the cheeks.
"This, Moony, is not something that a upstanding man like you should read..."
"How old were you when you wrote that?"
"By the way I have with words, I would assume around fifth year. Yes. No one should ever read this. Especially you."
Remus chuckled again at the memories.
"Next time, we will go through your love letters." Sirius said looking smug.
"It is quite a small box, Sirius. About half empty."
"Or it could be half full! Wait! You have love letters?"
"A few..."
"I don't want to know. Let's go back to the box."
Sirius pulled a picture out of the box. It was a more recent picture, but it said just as much. The picture captured the joy of an Order meeting. Sirius remembered it well. It was a few weeks before Christmas, and Molly had decided to give Weasley sweaters to all of the members of the Order.
In the picture, They were all lined up holding the sweaters. Mad-Eye was holding his wand out at the sweater as though it might attack him. Tonks was smiling so big and holding her hot pink sweater to her chest. Remus just stood there in the picture and shook his head with a slight smile on his lips. Hagrid had one arm through the sweater, and that was all it would cover. The rest of the picture went on like this: some people confused, some ecstatic, some simply smiling at the fact that Molly had made them sweaters.
He showed the picture to Remus who simply shook his head smiling again. It was definitely an interesting Order meeting!
Remus and Sirius dug through the box, only picking up what appeared to be interesting. He once picked up a poster, and it was easy to tell what it was. It was a wanted poster for him, Sirius Black. He laughed to hide his pain of what it really meant to him. Remus could see right through the strong front he put up, because, after all, they were brothers.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Look at this!" Sirius shouted as he dug out another letter signed by Lily. This one seemed to have more heart than the other one, and it was obvious that this was after they were married.
My Dearest James,
It is our anniversary, and although I am sure that you are not quite sure what anniversary this is, since you claim that everyday you spend with me should be honored, I will tell you. James, this is the anniversary of the day we met. I know that I claimed to hate you, and for those first few years, I really did. I could not stand the fact that you thought so highly of yourself, and I could not stand the way you treated anyone who did not call themselves a Marauder. Now I see why those guys stood by you so strongly.
James, I thank you for every moment that I have gotten to spend with you, because I love you, and I am sure that you will be a great dad to our son.
I love you so much, James!
The Doe to your Stag,
Lily
Sirius coughed and Remus smiled. She was always so sweet in her letters, even her ones to him, whom she considered a brother. Remus picked up a faded piece of parchment that had fallen from the letter that Sirius held. He started to read this one aloud, choking up a bit with the love that James had written the letter with.
Lily, My sweet Flower,
As I write this, you are asleep beside me, and i can not think of it any other way. Your fiery hair sprawled across the pillow; your perfect lips split just enough that they are taunting me to kiss them. your arms are flung in odd directions, but that is just who you are; one hand on your stomach, and the other behind the pillow supporting your head. you are so beautiful, and that is the first thing i noticed about you when i met you. your red hair seems to get brighter when you are mad, so i apologize now if i ever make you mad simply to see it light up.
Lily, i am sure that you think that i do not know what today is the anniversary of, but i assure you that i do. i know that i may forget some things, like what it is you wanted for last christmas, or perhaps what it is that finally got you to say yes, but i will never forget the day i met you:
I was waiting on platform 9 3/4 just like everybody else, when i saw you. you were with your parents and a sister, but only you were getting on the train. at that point in time, i knew that you were a muggle-born. i just know these things. i saw you get on the train, robes already on, and wave good-bye to your family. your sister was not so happy about the fact that you were leaving, but you were soon joined in your compartment with a boy that soon, forgive me, i would learn to call snivelous. soon, i left to go be by myself in a compartment when three other boys slowly made their way to me. I know that you will think that this is simply a story of the marauders, but i assure that it is not. it was that rag-tag group of four that got me noticed by you the first time.
You see, sirius had purchased, or possibly stolen, to this day he still has not told me which, some exploding snap cards, and we were playing with them in our compartment when you walked by. i watched you through the glass as your hair became darker and brighter as you became angry. you threw open the door and yelled at us. i personally think it was the fact that you were so determined to tell us what you were doing wrong that made me, a cheeky eleven-year-old fall for you.
I could not imagine a better mother for my son. i know that you will be great, maybe even better than my mum, which I am sure is hard to beat. I love you, Lily. I always have.
The stag to your doe,
James
Sirius too had teared up a bit as he listened to how much James had loved Lily. It was a relationship that no matter what happened, Sirius and Remus would always be able to remember how their hate had turned to love. Remus found it inspiring; Sirius simply found it disgusting.
Sirius dug into the box again after setting the letters to the side with the other objects. He found a small locket. As he held it up, he saw Remus's eyes glow. He recognized it.
"You know what this is?" Sirius asked confused. He had never seen the locket before.
"Yeah. You don't? I was sure that you would remember."
"Fill me in on the juicy details, Moony!" Sirius cried as he examined the locket more closely.
Remus took it from his paws and started to explain. As he told the story he remembered that there was a letter that went with it. He rummaged in the box until he found it:
Karolyn,
This letter is to tell you that I know that it would never really work between us, especially the fact that you are more like a girl who would fit Sirius's character more than mine. I wanted to give you this locket to show you something. When you look at this locket, you see its outward beauty, but on the inside, there is a simple picture that you took of us.
What I am trying to say is that on the outside of you, you are very beautiful, but on the inside, there is something completely different. That is you, but I am the same person. I know that this is hard for you to hear, even after you heard from some various people at school about my condition, that I have decided that I can not be with you.
Karolyn, you may think that you love me, but you could never love the monster that I am. I am truly sorry to bring this up again, but I hope that someday you are happy, and don't worry about me. I will live, but you should have a life, and a very good one at that.
Remus J. Lupin
Remus fingered the locket again and sighed. They had never had a chance. It was his fault, not hers. He never should have gotten involved, and he should have burnt the letter to begin with.
"Here Sirius. Do with this as you like. I don't want it." He thrust the locket and letter toward Sirius who took them and placed them in the pile with the other things.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Remus dug through the box again, there was only a hand-full of things left in there. He drew out his hand, and in it there was a small figurine. When he touched it with his wand, it came to life. He saw an attractive woman with bright pink hair start to walk in place. The next thing you knew, a toll-leg umbrella stand would pop out of nowhere and she would trip on it, but before she would hit the floor, a tall, scarred old man would come catch her.
Remus held it up for Sirius to see play over and over again. "Where did you get this?" he asked calmly.
"That, my dear wolfie friend, is for you to remember how you fell in love with my dear cousin."
"I am not in love with your cousin. It is a mere attraction that we both have. Not love. Besides, we both know that it would never work, so we are smart just not to get involved."
"That's what you think. Just tell Tonks that you don't love her to her face, and I am sure she will go away."
"Sirius, don't you think that would be..."
"See! You can't even tell me that you don't love her. You must be in deep. Just like James. Wow, I really need to get a girl!" Sirius laughed and Remus hesitantly smiled. Was Sirius actually right about something?
They both laughed and moved on to the last two objects. The first one made both smiles and tears come to the two remaining Marauders. It was a golden snitch. James's golden snitch. Remus picked it up, and held it in the palm of his hand. It tried to flutter, but one of its wings was broken, so it fell back into his hand. Remus and Sirius looked down at it with tears as they remembered James.
The men dug back into the box and found the last thing. Sirius picked up the first. It was a bag of Honeydukes chocolates.
"I wouldn't eat that, Sirius..."
"Come on, wine gets better with age, does chocolate?"
"I doubt it..."
Sirius picked up one of the chocolates and popped it in his mouth. A few seconds later, he spewed it across the room.
"Definitely not!"
~*~*~*~*~*~
A few hours later, Tonks found the box, still lying in the living room.
"This is a story," she said as she picked up the first object...